David Caldwell: Jaguars’ hope is to start Chad Henne in 2014

In an interview with ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike” program on Friday, Jaguars G.M. David Caldwell indicated the club was looking toward 2015 as the season in which Bortles, whom Jacksonville selected No. 3 overall in Round One, could mount a serious challenge for the starting role.

When asked when he would like Bortles to assume the starting spot, Caldwell said: “To be honest with you, probably 2015. We’d like to give Chad this whole year and go with Chad this year.”

Caldwell noted that Bortles, the first quarterback taken in the 2014 draft, has “some development to do.” To that end, Caldwell said the club had a plan for preparing Bortles to get ready to play a notoriously challenging position, including extra post-practice work.

The Jaguars’ goal, Caldwell said, is to “really kind of get [Bortles] ready so come 2015, he’s ready to compete for that spot.”

Henne signed a two-year contract with the Jaguars in March. He has started 19 games over the last two seasons for Jacksonville. From the sound of it, he will add to that tally as the Jaguars ready Bortles to eventually assume his role.

Meanwhile, the Redskins, who are GOD’S CHOSEN TEAM, will be starting the best QB in the NFL, RG3. I’m so grateful to be a Redskins fan. I can see why everyone is so jealous of us. #HTTR #JaguarsAreDumbForNotTradingUpForRG3

Hearing him being developed for a year makes me swallow the reach at 3 a little easier. Devolved properly with the measurables he has, he has the potential to our face of the franchise. Bold move by our new regime and this fan still supports them! 2015 will be the make or break year for the Bradley/Caldwell experiment and i want them to succeed!

That is absolutely the right thing to do with Bortles. That said, if he isn’t ready to start right away, maybe he wasn’t worth the third pick.

Scott Mullin says:May 9, 2014 12:49 PM

You draft a franchise QB, build some excitement in the fanbase, and then you immediately put him right behind Chad Henne, of all people. The Jaguars are so confused

schmitty2 says:May 9, 2014 12:50 PM

I ‘m going to go out on a limb and say we will see Bortles starting at some point this year whether it be because Henne will either struggle or get hurt.

bobby2478 says:May 9, 2014 12:50 PM

Sounds like a very smart approach. One the Vikings would be wise to follow with Bridgewater by letting Cassel/Ponder start this year while giving Bridgewater time to get acclimated to the pros and learn the offense before destroying his confidence by throwing him to the wolves.

Who knows, Ponder might have turned into a good QB if they didn’t throw him to the wolves right away and he actually had some QB position coaching.

Complete head scratcher. They trade Gabbert, who came out more highly rated, has better “measurables” across the board, and is only a year or two older than Bortles (for late round picks), then use #3 overall on the guy. Bortles cost twice what Gabbert did in draft chart value, and will cost twice as much to employ. Now they want to sit his dumb ass on the bench while he earns twice as much as Henne.

chinahand11 says:May 9, 2014 1:02 PM

Give Bradley and Caldwell props for developing a rookie QB the right way, so what if they took him 3rd. A year behind Henne, he’ll be chomping at the bit in 2015.

All that Caldwell and Bradley are doing in Jacksonville is turfing out all the players from the previous staff and replacing them with poorer, weaker, versions. Not just at quarterback, but at most positions on the field.

Who cares if they took him at 3 or 30, he’s the guy they wanted, and he’s the guy they got!

If he becomes an elite QB, people will be talking about how dumb the Texans and Rams were to pass on him.

chawk12thman says:May 9, 2014 1:54 PM

If he beats the starter like Russell Wilson did for the Hawks, this pick will look great. If he comes in the 2015 season and does well, this pick looks great. Time will tell, just like the rest of this years draft choices. I think it is a positive move and one that they needed to do………They however, have bought time which is what the GM and Coach need to keep their jobs regardless of this coming season’s results.

Jax along with MIA, MIN, OAK, TEN, BUF are all run by very inept people. I would say CLE has begun to turn things around and start the progression towards relevancy by getting a gift in Manziel and they have two firsts next year. The above are hopeless. Bortles at best is this year’s version of Carson Palmer. Does anyone think Carson has s shot in hell of leading his team to a SB?

Every single team that passed on Manziel will be kicking themselves for a decade.

If God had a chosen team it sure wouldn’t be the redskins they are terrible heck they get a great coach and the owner lets the QB RG3 run him out of town after 2 years and shanahan got them to the playoffs in the first year this is why redskins will never win another super bowl as long as daniel snyder is the owner heck hes the guy that signed albert haynesworth to a 7 year $100 million contract the worst contract in the history of sports

Jeffrey Godfrey should have remained at quarterback, he beat out Bortles for the starting job at UCF the first two years they were both with the team. He is 5-11, 180 pounds and playing wide receiver now.

But that is no reason to worry about whether or not Bortles will succeed in the NFL.

Good pick as the guy would not be there in round 2. Vikes would have taken him…Instead, they got a guy that couldn’t make it through the pro day. Not saying this guy is the best but if he tests out great and looks good under pressure against good competition than you gotta pull the trigger.